King Thrushnose
by daffywriter
Summary: When Piggy makes fun of Gonzo one too many times, Nanny punishes her, and Gonzo uses the opportunity to tell Piggy a fairytale.
1. Chapter 1

**Muppet Babies**

"King Thrushnose"

Author's Note: This is based off the fairytale "King Thrushbeard".

Chapter One

It was just another ordinary day in the Nursery. Scooter was at his computer and Rowlf was at the piano. Skeeter and Animal were watching Monster trucks on television. Piggy was playing with her dolls, and Kermit was coloring a drawing of a train.

Suddenly Fozzie ran in from the Nursery bedroom and cried "You guys! You won't believe what Gonzo's up to now!"

Piggy, who had been bothered by Gonzo several times that day put down a teacup in disgust. "What is that weirdo up to now?" she muttered to herself.

She followed the other Muppets into the nursery bedroom where Gonzo was perched on top of the railing on one of the cribs. He was holding the corners of a sheet in each hand.

"Gonzo, what are you doing?" said Scooter looking up at Gonzo doubtfully.

"I saw this on TV!" Gonzo declared. "I, Gonzo the Great, will parachute off the top of this building!"

Suddenly the Muppets were thrust into Gonzo's imagination. He was standing on top of a five-story building with a parachute strapped to his back. The other Muppets were looking up at him worriedly, except for Piggy, who was crossing her arms in annoyance.

"Gonzo," said Kermit worriedly "I don't think this is a good idea!"

"No one can stop Gonzo the Great!" he declared.

"No Gonzo wait!" Scooter cried. "You're not high enough! Your parachute won't open!"

But Gonzo paid no attention to Scooter. "And now the countdown!" he cried. "Ten… nine…"

"I'm going to get Nanny," said Piggy to everyone on the ground as the countdown continued.

"Five… four… three… two… one!" Gonzo jumped. "I'm Gonzo the-"

The Muppets were back in the nursery. Before Gonzo could finish his sentence he hit a pillow that the others had hurriedly put on the floor. Well, actually every part of him hit the pillow expect for his face.

The Muppets gasped. "Oh! Gonzo!"

"Oh my goodness!" said a voice. "Stand back kids!"

"I _told _you he was doing something stupid, Nanny!" said Piggy trailing behind Nanny, with her hands on her hips.

"Now Piggy it's not necessary to say such things," Nanny knelt over Gonzo. "Are you all right?"

Gonzo lifted his head, and the other Muppets gasped at his nose, which was at a very odd angle. "My nose kind of hurts," he admitted, his voice altered by the angle of his nose.

"It looks like you've hut it pretty bad," said Nanny sadly. "Kids," she said to the other Muppets. "I'm going to call Mrs. Caruthers to watch you while I take Gonzo to the doctor."

"Yes, Nanny" they replied worriedly, all of them except for Piggy.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter Two

"I hope Gonzo is going to be okay," said Skeeter worriedly. Nanny and Gonzo had just left for the hospital and Mrs. Caruthers was over and had checked in on the Muppet Babies before leaving the Nursery.

"Me too," said Fozzie.

"It looked like his nose was really hurting him," said Rowlf.

"Well it's his own fault!" Piggy cried.

"Piggy!" everyone declared.

"He shouldn't have been dumb enough to jump off a crib!" she protested.

"Well I guess you're right Piggy," said Scooter. "But you're not helping the situation."

"Not helping!" Animal declared.

"Well it's true," Piggy insisted.

"Piggy," said Kermit "you need to be a little nicer to Gonzo."

"Try a _lot _nicer!" Skeeter declared.

"I'm sorry Kermie," said Piggy. She glared at Skeeter.

"I have an idea," said Kermit sensing the tension. "Let's all make get well cards for Gonzo!"

"Yeah!" everyone agreed, but Piggy didn't say a word.

Soon, the Muppet Babies had bought out glue, glitter, and construction paper to get to work on their cards. Animal took a large piece of construction paper and scribbled all over it in black crayon.

"What kind of card is that?" said Scooter who was walking by.

"Get well card!" said Animal jumping up and down.

"I think it looks great," said Skeeter. "Besides it's the thought that counts, not who has the fanciest card."

"You're right," Scooter agreed. "Let me have some paper." Scooter decided to make Gonzo a card by hand instead of designing one on his computer like he had originally planned.

"How's your card coming Piggy?" said Kermit in another part of the room.

"Oh," said Piggy quickly throwing her body over a piece of construction paper to cover it. "It's a surprise."

"Okay," said Kermit smiling as he walked off.

Piggy felt a twinge of guilt for lying to Kermit. But she shook her head and grabbed the piece of paper and a crayon and went to hide behind the toy chest. There was no way that she was making a card for Gonzo! He was annoying and always doing dumb things to get attention.

A few hours later, Nanny and Gonzo came home. Gonzo's nose was wrapped in a bandage and splint. The Muppet gathered around him.

"Are you okay?" "Nanny is Gonzo going to be okay?" they asked.

"Gonzo bruised and twisted his nose," Nanny said. "He'll have to wear this bandage and splint for a few weeks."

"Poor Gonzo," most of the Muppets thought.

"Well," said Kermit trying to brighten the mood. "We made you these get well cards Gonzo."

Nanny brought Gonzo over to the couch and the Muppets all handed him a card, expect for Piggy.

"Where's your card, Piggy my sweet?" Gonzo asked, his voice sounding strange with the splint.

"Oh," Piggy turned beet red "It's extra special, I'm not done with it yet," she lied.

"I can't wait to see it, Piggy," said Gonzo smiling at her.

Piggy felt slightly ashamed.

By this time, Nanny had left to get Gonzo some more pillows from other bedrooms.

"Hey guys!" said Gonzo. "Take a look at this!"

Gonzo pulled out a Polaroid photo of him without the splint. He nose was very red, and crooked.

"Wow," said Scooter.

"That looks painful," said Kermit.

"Let me see," said Piggy shoving her way to the front. She looked at the picture and giggled. "Your nose looks ever weirder than usual; it really _does _look like a bird-beak!" She laughed.

Gonzo looked at Piggy hurt, and the others give her dirty looks.

"Piggy!" said a voice behind her. "I'm surprised at you!"

Piggy gulped and turned around. "Nanny," she said guiltily. She quickly turned to Gonzo and chimed. "I'm sorry Gonzo."

"No Piggy," said Nanny settling the pillows she had gotten down beside Gonzo, "I don't think you are. You didn't make Gonzo a card did you?"

"No," she admitted circling her foot in the carpet.

"Why not?

"Well, it's just that he's _so annoying_! He took my dolly's clothes and tried to put them on Camilla!"

"That's no excuse for your behavior Piggy. If you were having a problem with Gonzo, you should have come to me."

"I'm sorry Nanny," Piggy muttered.

"No matter what Gonzo did," Nanny continued. "There is no excuse for making fun of someone with an injury," Piggy opened her mouth. "No matter who caused it," Nanny finished. "No only were you rude to Gonzo, but you also lied about making the card. Piggy, until Gonzo's nose is healed, you will have to be his special helper. I will do the things only a grown up should do, but you'll have to do most of the work.

The other Muppet Babies, including Gonzo, gasped at the severity of Piggy's punishment.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter Three

"But Nanny!" Piggy gasped in protest.

"No buts, Piggy" said Nanny. Her voice softened. "Piggy, I'm doing this for your own good. I hope that by spending more time with Gonzo, you'll get to understand him better." With that Nanny left the Nursery.

"Great," said Piggy muttering to herself.

"Aw cheer up Piggy," said Gonzo. "It won't be so bad, you and I spending every waking moment together."

"We all live together anyway," added Kermit. "It won't be _that _different."

Piggy glared at them both. "You two aren't helping," she said.

Piggy went to sit at her table and played with a teacup absently.

Gonzo felt sympathy for Piggy. Even though she had hurt him by lying about he card, he still hated to see her unhappy. He came and sat down across from her.

"Cheer up Piggy," he said. "I know how to make the time go faster."

"How?" she said looking up at him.

"By telling you a story," he began. "I saw this on TV, the same day I saw the guy jumping from the building."

Piggy sighed heavily. "All right," she said.

"Once upon a time," Gonzo began. "There lived a beautiful princess…"

Suddenly a castle bedroom appeared, and Piggy, as the princess, was brushing her long blonde hair and admiring her reflection.

'I'm _so _beautiful," she said smiling at herself.

"But although the Princess was beautiful," Gonzo began. "She was also very mean. One day her father came to have an important talk with her."

Kermit enters the castle room dressed as the King. "Daughter," he began. "It's time that you got married."

"Oh father," said the Princess. "Do I have to? I love living here and doing nothing all day long."

"It's time you get married and become a queen; you need to learn responsibility," he replied.

As the King exited the room, Gonzo continued. "As so the King threw a royal ball and invited Kings from all the surrounding lands. The Princess could have her pick of any of them. But since the Princess was very mean she found something bad to say about each.

In the ballroom Scooter, Fozzie, Animal, Rowlf, and Gonzo, dressed as Kings, stand in a line. Piggy walks down the line, commenting on each one.

"This one wears glasses, this one's ears are too round, this one is too young, this one's ears are too _long _and this one-"

She came to Gonzo, whose nose was crooked, like it was in the photo he took at the hospital and laughed. "What happened _here_?" she commented. "What in the world did you do to your nose? It looks like a bird-beak."

Suddenly a thrush bird lands on the windowsill. "Yeah it looks like the beak of that bird over there. What's kind of bird is that?"

"A thrush," said King Scooter.

"That's it!" Princess Piggy giggled with glee. "King Thrushnose!"

She laughed, and did the other Kings, expect for Gonzo and Kermit. Kermit looked very angry.

The scene changed back to the Princess's bedroom and the King was pacing back and forth angrily.

"The King was very angry with his daughter," Gonzo narrated. "So the King came up with a punishment for her."

"Since you would not choose a husband, and you were so rude to the guests," the King began, "I have decided that the first peasant who comes to the castle and makes me laugh will be your husband!"

"But Father!" the Princess gasped in protest.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter Four

Gonzo stopped the story at that point and Piggy looked at him impatiently.

"Well aren't you going to continue?" she demanded scowling.

"Nope," he said candidly.

"Why you-"

"I'm glad you're enjoying the story, Piggy" said Gonzo without missing a beat, "but if I tell you the whole story now you'll have nothing to look forward to for the next few weeks."

_Truer words were never spoken, _Piggy thought. Aloud she said. "All right Gonzo, is there anything you need me to do?"

…

A couple of days later, Gonzo continued the story.

"The King made a promise that his daughter would have to marry the first peasant who made him laugh and he intended to keep it. So the next day, he started seeing peasants."

Gonzo's imagination formed the throne room with Kermit as the King and Piggy as the Princess. They each sat in their chair when Fozzie entered dressed as a peasant.

"Uh oh," said the Princess to herself.

"I am a simple peasant farmer and I will tell you a funny joke to make you laugh!" said Fozzie.

"Oh boy," said the King.

"Simple is right," said the Princess to herself.

" Okay here it goes," said Fozzie. "what did the Rooster say when the clock struck five?"

"I don't know," said the King.

"_Clock_ a-doodle-doo! Get it _clock_?" said Fozzie. As the Princess groaned, a tomato appeared out of nowhere and hit Fozzie in the face. "Hey!" he said, "I think this is from my tomato patch!" With that he walked off.

"Whew!" said the Princess in relief, but suddenly another Peasant entered wearing a cloak and a ring on his nose, which made it look small and circular. He pulled out a weird looking flute with beads and feathers on it.

"Good day, Your Majesties," he said.

"Good day!" said the King looking surprised but pleased.

"Yeah," the Princess muttered waving a hand.

"I will play this instrument to try and win the hand of the lovely Princess," said the Peasant. He began playing the flute and dancing around the throne room strangely. When he was done the King chuckled.

"That was indeed strange, but you made me laugh," said the King. "You may marry my daughter."

"What!" the Princess cried.

"But nothing the Princess could say would change the King's mind," Gonzo narrated. "After all a promise is a promise. So the Princess and the Peasant were married."

"Now that you are a peasant," said the King to the Princess, "you can no longer live in the castle. You must go with your husband."

The Princess gasped but she was sent away.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter Five

"That poor princess!" Piggy gasped. "She didn't deserve to be punished like that"

The other Muppet Babies gave Piggy a look.

"Well, she didn't!" Piggy huffed, but she was a little less sure of herself this time.

"So that's the end of the story for today," said Gonzo. "Now, Piggy why don't we play with Camilla."

"Okaaaay," Piggy groaned.

The other Muppet Babies went back to doing other things while Piggy followed Gonzo.

"So," said Piggy, as they settled on the ground with the stuffed chicken, "What are we doing to do with Camilla?"

"We're going to decorate her house," he said. Gonzo pulled out a shoebox from behind the toy chest with the top on it.

"That's not a dollhouse," Piggy scoffed.

"Camilla's not a doll," Gonzo replied.

Piggy had to admit Gonzo right was about that.

"And now," Gonzo continued, "for the decorations." He opened the shoebox and pulled out some pretty pieces of patterned paper.

"Oooo," Piggy breathed, "those are petty. I didn't know you had those!" she exclaimed.

"You never asked," Gonzo pointed out.

Piggy felt a bit ashamed. Gonzo was right. She was always asking the others for things such as crayons and construction paper, but always avoided asking Gonzo.

"Gonzo," said Piggy slowly. "I want some of that paper to decorate my dollhouse."

"Nanny told us that we always have to say a special word when we want something," Gonzo replied.

Piggy rolled her eyes and crossed her arms. "Please," she said.

…

A few days later, Gonzo continued the story.

"And so, the Peasant took the Princess to her new home."

"Why do we have to walk?" said the Princess. "Can't you get us a carriage or something?"

"I am too poor to buy a carriage," said the Peasant

"Okay," said the Princess, "how about just the horses?"

"I can't pay for those either, but now with you as my wife, we can both work. Maybe someday, we'll save enough money for a mule."

"W-work?" said the Princess slowly, wide-eyed.

"Of course," said the Peasant. "All peasants must work."

"But I'm a Princess!" exclaimed the Princess.

"You were born a Princess, but you are the wife of a peasant. That makes you a peasant, too."

"Humph!" was all the Princess would say.

As they walked along, the Princess admired the beautiful fields in front of her.

"Oh," she said, quietly to herself "King Thrushnose owns these fields, if only I had married him!"

Soon they came to a beautiful lake.

"And King Thurhnose also owns this lake. It would be mine, too, if I were his wife!"

And soon they came to a lovely forest.

"Wow, this King is loaded!" the Princess cried.

"Hey," said the Peasant, "You married me, and not this King fellow. Don't you want to be married to me?"

"Don't push your luck," the Princess said to herself.

Soon, they arrived at a small cottage.

"We're home!" the Peasant cried.

The Princes looked around the tiny one-room cabin.

"Is this the servants' quarters?" she asked.

The Peasant fell on the ground and roared with laugher. "_Servants' quarters_!" he giggled. "_Servants! _That's rich! There _are _no servants!"

"N-no servants?" the Princess cried.

"Of course not!" the Peasant cried getting back up. "I told you we are poor! Haven't you been listening?"

"Unfortunately," the Princess said..

"Now then," said the Peasant going to a wooden box and opening it, "Now that you are a peasant, you must where a peasant's dress." He pulled out a blue dress with difference colored feathers all over it.

"That's not a peasant's dress!" the Princess cried.

"It is when you're married to me," said the Peasant.

"I'm not wearing that thing!" the Princess said.

"Suit yourself," said the Peasant, glancing at the dress. "Or maybe not. Now, you must sweep the floor!"

"But I've never swept a floor before!" the Princess cried.

The Peasant handed her a broom. "Now is the time to learn."

"So the Princess swept the floor," Gonzo narrated. "She tried her best, but didn't do a very good job."

The Princess was covered from head to toe in dust.

"Yuck!" she said.

The Peasant held up the peasant's dress again. "Want to wear this _now_?" he asked.

The Princess grabbed the dress and went behind a screen to change.

Later, the Peasant and the Princess sat down to eat a simple supper of nuts and fruit.

"This is all we're going to eat?" the Princess grumped.

"It is all I have. I will send you to the market tomorrow to sell jars. If you make enough money, perhaps we can buy some bread to go with our supper tomorrow night."

"I…have to sell things?" the Princess gasped.

"Yep. There are two of us now. We must both work, so that we don't go hungry."

The Princess looked at her nuts and berries again. She was _already _going hungry. She did not look forward to tomorrow.


End file.
